Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-11-25
Sheep Jnterest.
VARIOUS COUNTY MATTERS.


We find the following in the last issue
of the American Wool Reporter
"The talk of the week in the pastoral
districts of Western Vermont has been
the purchases of Merinos for Australian
expectation. A considerable furry has
beeen raised in sheep circles by these
sales, which have had a tendency to
strengthen prices greatly. Mr.. Samuel
McCaughey, of Coonong, New South
Wales, the buyer, has now one hundred
and sixty sheep. They were shipped on
Tuesday, the Sth inst, from East Shore
ham, sailing from New York on the 18th
inst. on the National line steamer,
"Britsh Queen" due to arrive in London
leave London on the 10Th via Cape Town,
and is due at Adelaide, S. A., about JAN
uary 30.
"Mr. Raymond Clark of Addison will
go through with the sheep. Mr.. Meme
Caughey may justly feel proud of his
purchase, for it is conceded by all that
better selection never left Vermont.
They are sight worth driving many
miles to see. They have now all been
shorn and dipped, preparatory to the
voyage, and are in very fine condition,
attractive and symmetrical in appearance,
very uniform throughout in fleece, which
is of high style and quality, opening in
flakes upon a mellow skin, and covering
them to perfection at all points, all of
them possessing the rich inheritance of
heavy shearng descent, with pure Span
ish blood. The rams can be recommend
ed to Australian breeders as stud rams,
in the true sense of the term.
"The buyer now estimates that his
sheep have cost him about so per head
here. Among the good figures paid may
be mentioned E. f. Stickney's sale of II
sheep, ewes and rams, for Sl,100; c.
p. Crane, ram for $500; o. c. Martin,
ram, for 5000; E. n. Bissell, % sheep
(11 rams, ii ewes, for $4,000; l.. 5.
Burwell, ram (two tooth) 5000; F. u.
Barton, 8 sheep, $500.
"Mr. McCaughey expects that before
another year the ports of Sydney and
Melbourne will be opened for importation
via California. If such proves to be the
case, boom may be looked for in sheep
here. He also states that the sheep there
are of Il very plain style; and that a
Merino cross is very desirable, as it would
prove very important factor in increas-
ing the weight of fleece. He showed
your correspondent a list of weights of
fleece shorn from some finely graded rams
and ewes. The rams averaged about u
lbs. land ewes II lbs. His flock of 900, 600
sheep average % lbs. and lambs shorn
at months average 30 lbs. He rents of
the government 100000 acres of range
country. besides his own estate. all en-
closed by wire fencing of seven strands.
He consigns his wool to London when
secured, and his annual shipment of stud
sheep to the well-known commission
houses of C. w, Gibson & Son, and Fisk
en-, Valentine & Co., Collins ST., w.,
Melbourne.
"Mr. c. ID. & c. Kenyon, Centre White
Creek, n. Y, have recently paid visit
to Addison county, and purchased a ram
of Col. ii. F. Dean, West Cornwall. j,
T. Stickney, Shoreham, has recently ship
ped two ewes and two fine rams to E..
Peck & Son, Geneva, III. The following
breeders have visited the county since
last report: Mr.. Ostrander, Hoosicl
Falls, n. Y; Julius Stickney, Steuben
county, n. Y; and F. w. Hazen, Grand
Isle.